--- title: "While you were sleeping: 5 April 2017" description: "ANC to decide its direction, Syrian gas attack kills dozens, and Marmite good for your brain." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "Newsdeck" author: "John Stupart" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/johnstupart/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-04-05-while-you-were-sleeping-5-april-2017/" published: "2017-04-05T07:43:31" updated: "2017-04-05T07:43:32" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 810 --- # While you were sleeping: 5 April 2017 > ANC to decide its direction, Syrian gas attack kills dozens, and Marmite good for your brain. By John Stupart · Published 5 April 2017, 09:43 SAST · Updated 5 April 2017, 09:43 SAST ## Content **Wednesday, 5 April 2017** *“If you can walk away from a landing, it’s a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it’s an outstanding landing.”* **Chuck Yeager** ![Image](https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/d/8F/3D3/953/csimport/849x493q70zuma-dilemma1.050902.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [The Zuma Dilemma: Hell No, he just won’t go!](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-u/) By RANJENI MUNUSAMY The ANC is facing a bombardment of calls demanding that President Jacob Zuma step down, be recalled or voted out in Parliament. The ANC’s stalwarts and military veterans, as well as alliance partners, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and Cosatu, are also ratcheting up the pressure with calls for Zuma to go. But Zuma’s supporters are fighting back, arguing that the ANC should close ranks and lashing out at those who criticised Zuma’s Cabinet reshuffle, including the party’s top officials. A meeting of the ANC’s national working committee (NWC) on Tuesday night appears to have swayed in Zuma’s favour, meaning that the ultimate Teflon man might wriggle out once again. For now. [All eyes on the ANC today](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-o/) The country's gaze will descend upon Luthuli house today. With it will be possibly the most important press briefing of the organisation's post-apartheid history. With pro-Zuma lackeys already claiming a Tuesday NWC meeting decided to support Zuma until his departure in 2019, there remains a glimmer of hope that the party once characterised for railing against injustice might find its struggle roots once more. [Outrage at Syrian chemical weapons attack](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-b/) A Syrian chemical attack against a rebel-held north-west Syrian town on Tuesday has left dozens dead. With 58 civilians dead in the town of Khan Sheikhun, the Security Council is scheduled to meet today to discuss possible actions to take against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime. A regime which the United States just this week decided not to focus on changing any more. [North Korea fires another missile](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-n/) A medium-range ballistic missile was fired by North Korea into the Sea of Japan overnight. The United States confirmed the launch and responded with Rex Tillerson stating: "The United States has spoken enough about North Korea. We have no further comment." Whether anything will be done about the launch, however, remains unlikely. [Marmite good for your brain](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-p/) The yeast-based jar of delicious goodness or the hellish vessel of dark portent and bitter tastes, depending on your viewpoint, is undeniably good for you, brain science says. A new report by psychologists at the University of York in northern England has determined that a spoonful of Marmite a day left test subjects with higher levels of brain chemicals associated with healthy heads. Is it worth the price of eating Marmite? Science cannot answer such a mystery of life. — IN NUMBERS 6,000 The number of pieces of lego used in a replica Taj Mahal, the largest such lego replica thus far. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 1956 **Fidel Castro** declares war against Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. Ireland does not allow the sale of alcohol on **Good Friday.** FEATURED ARTICLES ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70zuma-dilemma.jpg) [The Zuma Dilemma: Hell No, he just won’t go!](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-e/) BY RANJENI MUNUSAMY ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Trainspotter-gigaba\(1\).jpg) [TRAINSPOTTER: Malusi Gigaba’s eleventy-leventh press conference, and the Finance Ministry of Fear](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-g/) BY RICHARD POPLAK ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Barbee-quake1\(1\).jpeg) [Did fracking in Botswana cause Johannesburg to tremble?](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-yd/) BY JEFFREY BARBEE ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70ordinary-peeps-zuma-MAIN-PHOTO.jpg) [Ordinary People: Zuma’s Time is Up](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-yk/) BY BC SIMELANE, A MULLER & LD DOUGAN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Greg-Mbalula-police-minister.jpg) [New police minister on the block: SAPS needs reform, Fikile Mbalula offers guns](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-jl/) BY GREG NICOLSON ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Becs-social_media.jpg) [Pandora’s Box: South Africa and the (mis)use of social media](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-jy/) BY REBECCA DAVIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Thamm-Mbalula.jpg) [#WanyaTsotsi: New Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula hits the ground tweeting](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-jt/) BY MARIANNE THAMM ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Op-Ed-Fareed-HIV-subbed.jpg) [Op-Ed: When it comes to HIV, no need to embellish our achievements or to diminish our challenges](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-jd/) BY FAREED ABDULLAH ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Ant-gvt-on-marches.jpg) [Reshuffle Chronicles: Government says Friday’s shutdown will ‘have consequences for our fragile economy’](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-jk/) BY ANTOINETTE MULLER ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70simon-cosatu.jpg) [BREAKING: Cosatu calls for Zuma to go](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-tl/) BY SIMON ALLISON ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70maynard-zim-op-ed.jpg) [Op-Ed: Ruthless Mugabe turns on top lieutenant](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-ty/) BY MAYNARD MANYOWA ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70SRJCletter-repro-health.jpg) [Letter to the Editor: The right to reproductive health – Government and journalists need to do better](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-tt/) BY DAILY MAVERICK OPINIONISTAS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70mbuyiseni-ndlozi.jpg) [Dispelling some myths of the Cabinet reshuffle](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-td/) A column by MBUYISENI NDLOZI ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Edna-Molewa.jpg) [Dezinformatsiya rife in toxic public space](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-tk/) A column by EDNA MOLEWA ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70sipho-pityana.jpg) [A horror show, brought to you by one man: Jacob Zuma](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-il/) A column by SIPHO PITYANA ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70HEADSHOT_Rich-Poplak_orange.jpg) [Fire Jacob Zuma, now. Then, re-invent South Africa](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-iy/) A column by RICHARD POPLAK ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70David-N.jpg) [DA Smoke and mirrors: Zille is going nowhere](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hkkrhkt-l-it/) A column by DAVID KA-NDYALVAN — **Weather** BFN: min: 19° max: 31°, cloudy CPT: min: 15° max: 23°, PM rain DBN: min: 21° max: 33°, sunny EL: min: 21° max: 26°, cloudy JHB: min: 12° max: 31°, cloudy KIM: min: 22° max: 32°, cloudy NLP: min: 10° max: 32°, sunny PMB: min: 15° max: 34°, sunny PE: min: 15° max: 29°, sunny PTA: min: 13° max: 31°, cloudy **Financial Data** Oil=$54.18 Gold=$1,256.18 Platinum=$960.80 R/$=13.62 R/€=14.53 R/£=16.95 $/€=0.93 JSE All Share=52,660.74 DJIA=20,673.19 FTSE 100=7,321.82